Reflective liquid crystal display and driving method thereof

Abstract

A reflective liquid crystal display (LCD) includes an LCD panel having an upper electrode layer and a lower electrode layer and a plurality of color filters, including a red color filter, a green color filter and a blue color filter, to selectively filter white light; and a driver for driving the upper and lower electrode layers of the LCD panel to interpose non-display periods between display periods for displaying a desired color by mixing a combination of red light, green light and blue light, wherein during the non-display periods, the driver drives the upper and lower electrode layers to display white light, which includes all of the red, green and blue light, and none of the red, green and blue light at different, distinct time periods. The LCD according to the present invention is able to adjust the luminance of the display according to circumstances.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A liquid crystal display (LCD), comprising: 
 an LCD panel having an upper electrode layer and a lower electrode layer and a plurality of color filters, including a red color filter, a green color filter and a blue color filter, to selectively filter white light; and    a driver for driving the upper and lower electrode layers of the LCD panel to interpose non-display periods between display periods for displaying a desired color by mixing a combination of red light, green light and blue light, wherein during non-display periods, the driver drives the upper and lower electrode layers to display white light, which includes all of the red, green and blue light.    
     
     
         2 . The LCD according to  claim 1 , wherein during non-display periods, the driver drives the upper and lower electrode layers to display white light, which includes all of the red, green and blue light, and none of the red, green and blue light at different, distinct time periods.  
     
     
         3 . The LCD according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of color filters are transmissive color filters attached to an upper portion of the LCD panel.  
     
     
         4 . The LCD according to  claim 3 , further comprising a reflecting plate.  
     
     
         5 . The LCD according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of color filters are reflective color filters attached to a lower portion of the LCD panel.  
     
     
         6 . The LCD according to  claim 5 , wherein the red color filter, the green color filter, and the blue color filter of the reflective color filter are made of photonic crystals, which are alternate arrays of dielectrics.  
     
     
         7 . The LCD according to  claim 5 , wherein the red color filter, the green color filter, and the blue color filter of the reflective color filter are made of dielectrics having different indices of refraction.  
     
     
         8 . A method for driving a liquid crystal display (LCD) including a driver and an LCD panel having an upper electrode layer and a lower electrode layer and a plurality of color filters, including a red color filter, a green color filter and a blue color filter, to selectively filter white light, comprising: 
 driving the upper electrode layer and the lower electrode layer of the LCD panel by the driver to interpose non-display periods between display periods for displaying a desired color by mixing a combination of red light, green light and blue light, wherein during non-display periods, the driver drives the upper and lower electrode layers to display white light, which includes all of the red, green and blue light.    
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 displaying white light, which includes all of the red, green and blue light, and none of the red, green and blue light at different, distinct time periods during the non-display periods.    
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of color filters are transmissive color filters attached to an upper portion of the LCD panel.  
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of color filters are reflective color filters attached to a lower portion of the LCD panel.